Zmitser Dashkevich fined 1.3m rubles

Minsk's Pershamaiski district court fined a former political prisoner for violating the rules of preventive supervision.

Zmitser Dashkeivch didn't attend the trial. The case was heard in his absence, Radio Svaboda reports.

Judge Yury Harbatouski heard the evidence by senior corrections inspector Alaiksei Pilkou, who said Dashkevich hadn't appeared for a check on the third Thursday of December. Pilkou says he called the former political prisoner next day. He said he had forgotten to come. Judge asked if Dashkevich gave some reasons. The corrections inspector answered he didn't.

Zmitser Dashkevich was released from prison No. 1 in Hrodna on August 28, 2013, after almost three years of imprisonment. He was arrested ahead of the latest presidential elections on December 18, 2010, and jailed for “hooliganism” and then for “persistent failure to obey order of prison officers”. Dashkevich should remain under police supervision for 6 months after the release. He cannot leave home from 20:00 to 6:00.

Dashkevich was detained in Minsk on November 6 when Young Front activists were collecting signatures to return the historical name Frantsyskanskaya to Lenin Street. The politician was sentenced to three days in custody. Dashkevich didn't admit his guilt. He said the police reports was trumped-up and regarded the actions of the authorities as the “continuation of the crackdown on dissidents”.

Dashkevich was warned on December 5 that the police supervision could be toughened if he continued to disobey police officers.